The advent of computers, interactive electronic communication, the Internet, and other advances in the digital realm of consumer electronics have resulted in a great variety of programming, recording, and viewing options for users who view media content such as television programs. In implementing such enhanced programming, the set-top box (“STB”) has become an important computing device for accessing media content services and the media content within those services. In addition to supporting traditional analog broadcast video functionality, STBs also support an increasing number of two-way digital services such as video-on-demand, Internet protocol television (“IPTV”), and personal video recording.
An STB is typically connected to a cable or satellite, or generally, a subscriber television system, and includes hardware and software necessary to provide the functionality of the subscriber television system at a user site. While many STBs are stand-alone devices that are externally connected to a television, an STB and/or its functionality may be integrated into other devices such as a television.
An STB is usually configured to provide users with a large number and variety of media content choices. For example, a user may choose to view a variety of television programs, pay-per-view services, video-on-demand programming, Internet services, and audio programming via an STB.
An STB also typically provides users with functionality for controlling various settings and operations of the STB. These control functions are often accessible through a user input device such as a remote control device. However, a conventional user input device may not provide acceptable control and input options for all potential users of an STB. Users who are visually impaired or users in low light conditions, for example, may experience difficulty operating a traditional user input device. In addition, user input devices may be easily misplaced or damaged and are not operative when the power source, such as a battery, is exhausted. When a user input device is unavailable or inoperable, a user may be limited in his ability to control and operate a conventional STB. Moreover, certain users may prefer to control an STB in a more natural and convenient manner than that provided by a conventional user input device.